Karkasa (BRASS) Normal Price $150

$75.00
/ On Sale

STORY

The Asmat are an ethnic group of New Guinea, residing in the Papua province of Indonesia. The Asmat have one of the most well-known woodcarving traditions in the Pacific, and their art is sought by collectors worldwide. Asmat art consists of elaborate stylized wood carvings such as the bisj pole and is designed to honour ancestors. The natural environment has been a major factor affecting the Asmat, as their culture and way of life are heavily dependent on the rich natural resources found in their forests, rivers, and seas. The Asmat mainly subsist on starch from the sago palm (Metroxylon sagu), supplemented by grubs of the sago beetle (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), crustaceans, fish, forest game, and other items gathered from their forests and waters.